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Blake, I live in HPP so of course chances are that's what
I'd recommend, and I do. You seem to be drifting away from
your HPP idea so I'd like to draw you back in.
If you look on Google Earth you'll see that most people in HPP
live either near the highway (H130) or the ocean. Your idea
of living in the middle is a good one, land will be cheaper
and it's a lot less "crowded" (HPP is by no means crowded,
as I'm sure you noticed on your last visit). But watch out
with buying a lot full of albezia trees or some other pest
that will cost a fortune to clear.
My biggest nightmare is Neighbors from Hell, so I wouldn't
live in the cheapest part of a subdivision myself. Then again
HPP seems to be the most expensive of the Puna subdivisions
so maybe there's a much lower chance of encountering them.
Also, they are all 1 acre lots in mid-HPP so you could build
in the middle.
I would keep well away from the paved roads, too much traffic.
Another thing to consider are the dead-end streets in HPP,
near the edges, they'd certainly have a lot less traffic
than even the unpaved roads.
There's recently been talk of Fannie Mae not covering or no
longer covering (ie approving mortgages) for lava zones 1 and 2
and as you no doubt know, HPP is zone 3. This could push prices
up in the long run.
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Oh you guys! The HPP plan and pole house as some of you pointed out is still on the table but we just want to keep our options open and make sure we see and consider what we need to see and consider. I realize Hilo is not a big city but we are accustomed to living right in the middle of a city and as such HPP seems quite remote to us! In a way we relish the idea of some remoteness and on the other it freaks us out. I think this trip will be the one that really pushes us in one direction or the other. We rented a house in HPP for the entire stay but will be looking at properties of all types (primarily concentrating on Hilo and HPP). Again, appreciate everyones feedback and ideas. I'll let you know where we end up.
-Blake
http://www.theboysgreatescape.blogspot.com/
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B-Boy, Hope some of what I'm doing helps you also!
Hilo isn't a "city", it's more like a "town". The only city I know of in Hawaii is O'ah.....errr Honolulu. [
]
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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Oh you bet Eight! I have learned so much from you and from others responding to your questions. And this was great advice: "Be prepared to compromise, you really have to decide what's important to you. Be prepared to drive a lot and talk to people. "
-Blake
http://www.theboysgreatescape.blogspot.com/
Posts: 5,640
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If you've read up on the volcanic history of the Big Island you'll know that
Mauna Loa is the sleeping giant that poses the greatest danger (to houses,
not people).
Now look at this map and figure out where Hilo is, and where HPP is.
HPP is on the safe side of the Mauna Loa / Kilauea divide.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/hazards/maps.html
Another reason to pick HPP!
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Kathy - I kind of want to forward your last post straight to our realtor! I may actually copy and paste if that is okay.
Paul - you're cracking me up!
-Blake
http://www.theboysgreatescape.blogspot.com/
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I'll take tiny Kilauea over mighty Mauna Loa any day. Hilo was threatened as recently as 1984.
With all those houses so close together, fire is a big risk.
If you stand in Hilo and look up towards the Saddle, it looks like you're the easiest route between the mountain and the sea.
But then again lava is something that you can't really worry about, it may not happen again for another 100 or 1000 years. And you're covered by fire anyway.
I agree about the coquis, don't buy where they're not because they're coming. They can be controlled fairly easily by clearing your yard of plants and trees they like.
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He is fully aware Blake! She had some wisdom there. [8D]
quote:
Originally posted by Blakeyboy1
Kathy - I kind of warnt to forward your last post straight to our realtor! I may actually copy and paste if that is okay.
Paul - you're cracking me up!
-Blake
http://www.theboysgreatescape.blogspot.com/
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com
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hey Blake
Bullwinkle was talking about fern acres that is where my parnter and I are at too. their two acre lots, kinda rainy, yes cooler elevation, their are still bugs that bite up here not as bad as lower elevations. You might want to check out hawaiin acres their three acre lots and they have a sunshine belt running through the subdivision runs from mountain view down to kurtistown we are looking their for property...
I would highly suggest renting for 6 months to a year, every subdivision is different and for that matters every street can be different, I would also suggest finding neighborhoods that have long time residents so it wont be a high turnover rate such as h.p.p
but you are going to want to spend alot of time in each subdivision both day and night. find out who has fighting rooster's who has puppy mills ect. find out what the crime is in the neighbor hood. the kinda of information that is hard to get without actually being here. and actually talking in person with people from the neighbor hoods..
here is a hint go hang out in a few sibdivisions just park and sit their for a few hours watch and observe see if anyone asks why you are their or if anyone calls the neighborhood watch or better yet the police..Its always nice to know if your neighbors are watching out..
theirs alot you will learn on puna web but keep in mind it is a very small fraction of the people that are really here, puna web is a majority of white people, and white people are a minority here.
Its much more of a melting pot here, not that salt lake hasnt become a melting pot compared to 15 years ago, but you really are kinda stepping back in time. I got out of salt lake 8 years ago I am actually from lehi..he heh ehehe he of all places my partner is from idaho, I think its kewl someone else from salt lake has found hawaii..[8D]
setting my soul free....
setting my soul free....
